Last Chance
by Out of My Grasp
Summary: I couldn't have stopped the car crash even if I tried. But right now, my best friend is dying because he tried to protect me. And there's nothing I can do.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I get to write another one? Really? *weakly* hooray….

I think that it's pretty obvious I don't own Austin & Ally, or any song that comes from it.

* * *

_The driver swerved into the wrong side of the road. He didn't even see us as he barreled right into our car. A flash of blonde crossed my vision before the windshield exploded from the impact. I felt blood pooling into my lap, but somehow, I knew it wasn't mine. "Don't look down," I whispered. "Just don't look down." But of course, nothing could stop me from doing so. I took once glance at Austin's mangled body and immediately passed out._

* * *

6 hours, 42 minutes, and 27 seconds ago, Austin saved my life. In return, he broke all his ribs. Concussion. Extreme loss of blood. And a whole bunch of other medical terms I don't even want to think about. He didn't have to throw himself in front of me. I would have been hurt, I _should _have been the one hurt. And now my best friend is dying in the ICU.

6 hours and 13 minutes ago, Trish called and told me that she and Dez couldn't get to the hospital because the road was blocked. She told me to make sure Austin didn't die on us and that they would be there as soon as possible.

5 hours and 57 minutes ago, Austin came out of surgery. They told me there wasn't much else we could do but wait. They told me that he probably wouldn't last the night. That's all they said before abandoning him for dead and moving on to the next person.

5 hours and 3 minutes ago, I heard yelling from main lobby. Trish and Dez had arrived, and they weren't allowed in, which, needless to say, pissed them off a lot. I broke my vigil over Austin, just long enough to let them in, then sat right by his bedside again. The two of them walked into the room, Trish rushing over to Austin as soon as she saw him, Dez standing in the doorway, unable to take another step.

4 hours and 26 minutes ago, Mike and Mimi Moon came in to see their son. Trish and Dez slipped out to give them their privacy, but I stayed. Austin had given himself a suicide mission to make sure I lived. Nothing anyone could do could stop me from making sure he would too. Mimi handled him with a tenderness only a mother would know. She kissed every part of his face not covered in bandages, then rearranged his pillows and blanket to make him as comfortable as possible. Mike stood like a father would, stiff and unbending, but I saw in his eyes the pain of seeing his only child damaged like this.

3 hours and 52 minutes ago the only ones still in the room were me and Austin's parents. They spoke in hushed tones in the corner, glancing at me and Austin every few seconds. They sat down in the chairs along the wall, joining me in my silent watch over Austin.

3 hours and 43 minutes ago, they tried to get me to leave. They failed.

2 hours and 6 minutes ago, Mimi fell asleep on her husband's shoulder, his own head nestling onto hers merely seconds later. The worry lines on their faces relaxed a bit. I could almost imagine them when they were young, in love. Was it anything like this?

It's 3:08 in the morning, and I'm tired of waiting. I didn't come here to watch the green line on Austin's heart monitor flatten like the pancakes he loves so much. I didn't come to watch him struggle to take his last breaths and fall limply into a black hole I couldn't reach.

I hated not knowing what to do. That's why I try so hard in school. That's why I've mastered so many instruments. That's why I follow all the directions I'm given. And that's why I hated my situation right now.

"You don't know how hard it is, seeing you like this," I whispered, stroking the hand that was always itching to strum his guitar or play the piano in the practice room. "You don't know how much I wish I was the one in that bed right now."

The abnormal beat of Austin's heart filled me with strength to push the words out. It sounded like the drums that he would attack with no rhythm whatsoever whenever he was mad. The irregularity of it scared me so much, but it encouraged me to say the next words coming out of my mouth. This was my last chance to tell Austin how I felt, how I have been feeling for so long.

"And it's seeing you there, where I should be, that makes me realize how much I really care about you."

"You're the one I trust," I went on meekly, knowing the words would make or break my friendship with Austin. If he survived. Which he will. "You're the one I went to when Dallas rejected me. You're the one that helped me get over my stage fright. Hell, you're the one that threw himself in front a car for me."

I scoffed lightly at my words. "Oh, God, I sound like one those romance novels, don't I?" I asked him, knowing he wouldn't respond. "But quite frankly, that's the only I can explain how I feel. I guess I've been falling for you ever since you started playing the drums with those corn dogs, which," I said abruptly, "you still need to pay for damages on."

I glanced at his pale, gaunt face. "Not that it matters much anymore," I murmured. I immediately mentally slapped myself in the face. Stop thinking like that.

"Just, don't leave me like this. I don't know how you feel about me, but I know that it won't matter if you don't make it through tonight. I don't care if you don't feel that way about me. I just want you to survive this. I want to see you make it to the top. And when that happens, you can be sure that I will be there to make sure you don't fall off."

I was out of words. I leaned over and kissed his forehead. I had nothing left unsaid.

I moved over to one of the other chairs along the wall. I know I needed to sleep, but I didn't see how it mattered. My best friend was dying, and I really don't see how I could worry about anything other than that.

* * *

His heartbeat was getting slower and less frequent. I watched the thread climb up mountains and fall down again. It was inevitable. Austin was dying.

"When you're on your own, drowning alone, and you need a rope that will pull you in, someone will throw it," I sang lightly.

_And if you're afraid, that you're gonna break_

_And you need a way to feel strong again_

_Someone will know it_

_And even when it hurts the most_

_Try to have a little hope_

_That someone's gonna be there when you don't_

_When you don't_

_If you want to cry, I'll be your shoulder _

_If you want to laugh, I'll be your smile_

_If you want to fly, I will be your sky_

_Anything you need, that's what I'll be_

_If you want to climb, I'll be your ladder_

_If you want to run, I'll be your road_

_If you want a friend, doesn't matter when_

_Anything you need, that's what I'll be…_

"You can come to me…" a thin, reedy voice sang, coming from the bed.

I rushed over to Austin, only barely resisting the urge to throw my arms around him like so many other times. I settled for grabbing his hand, just to make sure that he was there.

"What, no hug?" he teased weakly. "Wow, I practically come back from the dead, and all I get from you is this? What kind of mockery is this?"

"Oh my God, Austin," I pulled him into what would have been a bone-crushing embrace if he hadn't been so seriously injured. "Is this really you? Or is it just life messing with me? Oh, God, what if I lost you?" I cried into his shoulder. I was going into hysterics, I know, but considering the situation, I'm pretty sure it was fitting.

"Don't worry, Ally," he smiled, wrapping his arm around me. "I have you. I'm here to stay."


	2. Author's Note

**A/N: Thank you to all of you who waited. I feel a lot better about this version, and I can only thank my awesome editors Maya and Brandon. Without them, I don't know if my stories would be half as good, so they deserve a lot of credit too. You guys are amazing. :)**


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